Philip lives in South Africa and is the author of many guidebooks to African destinations, including the Bradt and Insight guide to South Africa.
Philip lives in South Africa and is the author of many Africa guidebooks, including the Bradt and Insight guide to South Africa.
Philip is the author of many Africa guidebooks, including the Bradt and Insight guides to South Africa.
Philip is the author of the Bradt and Insight guides to South Africa.
Sabi Sands shares a 50km unfenced border with Kruger National Park and offers the best wildlife viewing in South Africa. The area is divided into individual private game reserves, all offering the ultimate Big Five experience. The reserves present an exclusive experience with luxury accommodation, great service and excellent food.
Sabi Sands is the place in South Africa to easily see all of the Big Five in a short period. Even a two-day visit is usually enough to see all flagship species. With a good population of highly habituated leopards, Sabi Sands is one of the best places in Africa to see these normally elusive cats. Lion and cheetah are also easily seen.
Sabi Sands is an extension of Kruger National Park and has the same relatively thick vegetation consisting of woodland savannah. Two rivers run through the reserve, providing water. The riverine vegetation makes an excellent habitat for leopard and other wildlife.
How to Decide Where to Stay
Most places within Sabi Sands offer the same deal: upmarket safari packages, including accommodation, all meals and activities. Some upmarket lodges include drinks while others don't. The individual reserves share fenceless borders with the Greater Kruger ecosystem and offer a comparable wildlife viewing experience. All Sabi Sands reserves are excellent safari destinations. When deciding where to stay, the differences in the following factors could be taken into account:
Property size and traversing rights Traversing rights mean that the guests of one reserve are allowed to enter the property of another reserve on game drives. While traversing rights give people access to a greater area, it also means that areas shared by multiple reserves often get more crowded. This can create congestion and time pressure around wildlife sightings since only three vehicles are allowed at any particular sighting. The best deal is a large property with limited or no traversing rights. Singita and Londolozi, for example, have a large property without traversing rights. The same applies for Mala Mala, which used to be part of Sabi Sands, but now operates as an independent reserve.
Luxury level and rates Although all offer luxury and expensive options, there are some differences. Londolozi and Singita are, for example, more expensive and very luxurious. Djuma is a lot more affordable, but can only be booked by groups. Mala Mala is slightly more affordable, and one of the best places for wildlife viewing (large property, limited traversing rights), but is relatively simple in terms of lodging.
Access to river frontage River frontage is a plus because it attracts animals. While waterholes have the same effect, a river is also a scenic feature, and it provides an opportunity to see elephants in the water. Some of the reserves have no river frontage but have traversing rights onto a property that does, which amounts to the same thing.
Arathusa Star rating: 4; family owned/managed, well-priced small property on large traversing block, no access to river frontage. www.arathusa.co.za
Cheetah Plains Moderately priced (in comparison), small property on large traversing block, but only limited traversing allowed, no access to river frontage. www.cheetahplains.com
Chitwa Chitwa Moderately priced (in comparison), small property on large traversing block, no access to river frontage. www.chitwa.co.za
Djuma Vuyatela Lodge: 5-star, Galago Camp: 4-star; both are self-catering lodges aimed at group bookings and relatively inexpensive, located on a medium-sized property on a large traversing block, no access to river frontage. More about Djuma
Dulini Three luxury lodges with river frontage on a medium-sized property on large traversing block with river frontage. More about Dulini
Elephant plains Star rating: 4; well priced, small property on large traversing block, no access to river frontage. www.elephantplains.co.za
Idube Star Rating: 4; small property on large traversing block, access to river frontage. More about Idube
Inyati Medium-sized property on large traversing block, owns river frontage. More about Inyati
Kirkman's Kamp Part of the excellent & Beyond group; moderately priced (in comparison), & Beyond lodge, large property with extra traversing rights on Mala Mala, owns river frontage. www.andbeyond.com
Leopard Hills Very expensive, small property on big traversing block, access to river frontage. www.leopardhills.com
Lion Sands River Lodge: 5 Star; moderately priced (in comparison), Ivory Lodge: 6 Star; very expensive, large property without any traversing rights, very exclusive with wide river frontage. More about Lion Sands
Londolozi Very expensive and luxurious, large property without any traversing rights, very exclusive with river frontage. More about Londolozi
Mala Mala Game Reserve Unpretentious, moderately priced to very expensive. Independent from Sabi Sands but neighboring the same area without fences. By far the biggest property in the Sabi Sands area, with the most extended river access. Very limited traversing rights with one property far away from Mala Mala's usual wildlife viewing area. More about Mala Mala
Nkorho Star rating: 4; well-priced, small property sharing traversing with two other small properties, no access to river frontage. www.nkorho.com
Nottens Unpretentious, owner-managed, authentic bush experience, well-priced, medium-sized property, no traversing, lodge overlooks the Sand River. www.nottens.com
Sabi Sabi Very expensive except for Little Bush Camp which is moderately priced (in comparison), large property with limited traversing to one small property, very limited river frontage access. More about Sabi Sabi
Savanna Star rating: 5; Moderately priced (in comparison), medium-sized property on big traversing block, river frontage access. www.savannalodge.com
Singita Very expensive and luxurious, large property without any traversing rights, very exclusive with river frontage. More about Singita Sabi Sand
Ulusaba Star Rating: 5; very expensive, medium sized property on big traversing block, river frontage access. More about Ulusaba
Umkumbwe Unpretentious, owner-managed, well-priced, medium-sized property, no traversing, lodge overlooks the river. www.umkumbe.co.za
Weather & Climate
Winter in Sabi Sands (May to September) is when the landscape dries out due to a lack of rain. The temperatures are agreeable during the day, but they’ll have you shivering when the sun is below the horizon – put on plenty of warm clothes for early or late game drives. The summer months (October to April) bring afternoon thunderstorms and soaring temperatures, a perfect recipe for humidity.
The high season at Sabi Sands happens to be during the Wet season (October to April), when animals take cover in the flourishing bush, and rain has a habit of disrupting your wildlife watching – at least in the steamy afternoons. Better to go during the Dry season (May to September) when there’ll be less in the way of crowds and expenses, plus the local animals will be a lot more conspicuous.
Melissa is an award winning travel writer for Fodors, Frommers and Insight, including guides to Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Sabi Sand - safari de luxe
4/5
The oldest private reserve in South Africa, dating back to 1934, Sabi Sand Reserve is in effect a private extension of the vast Kruger National Park. It is also probably represents the greatest cluster of unadulterated safari luxury on the...